Billboard campaign calls on university to halt tests on rats
ANIMAL welfare group PETA has put up a billboard in south Bristol as part of its campaign against testing on rats and mice at the University of Bristol.
The billboard at 94 Bedminster Down Road states: “Shame on University of Bristol. Ban the forced swim test now. The ‘science’ doesn’t hold water.”
It is part of the charity’s campaign calling for an end to the university’s use of the ‘swim test,’ in which mice and rats are dropped into containers of water that are too deep for them to stand up in, and not allowed to clamber out - forcing them to tread water in order to stay alive.
During the tests, the mice and rats often panic, which supporters of the practice say can help inform experiments about stress levels.
PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – has been lobbying the university for months about the experiments.
The test has also been criticised by some experts who argue floating is not a sign of despair, but rather indicates adaptation to a new environment.
PETA science policy manager Dr Julia Baines said: “Sending rats into a panic by putting them into waterfilled containers tells us nothing about the complexities of human depression.”
Last year, The Maze Runner actor and former University of Bristol student Will Poulter wrote to the university as part of PETA’s campaign.
A University of Bristol spokesperson said: “We acknowledge that some people have concerns about the use of animals in research, but we also recognise that research involving animals is vital for advances in medical, veterinary and scientific knowledge to improve our understanding of health and disease and the lives of both animals and humans.”